General Blue Vs Major Armstrong
BlueVsArmstrong.png|MP999 What-if Death Battle General Blue vs. Alex Louis Armstrong.jpg|Venage237 Muscles and sparkles! Not since Zangief took on Haggar has a battle been this manly! Intro Wiz: Every military branch has its strange officers, but can you get any more flamboyant than these two muscular men of questionable sexual orientation? Boomstick: General Blue, top gun of the Red Ribbon Army Wiz: And Major Alex Armstrong, the Strongarm State Alchemist Boomstick: He's Wiz, and I'm Boomstick Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armour, and skills, in order to find out who would win... a Death Battle General Blue Wiz: The world of Dragon Ball, quite honestly, appears to be loosely governed. Seemingly split between regal kingdoms and modern metropolises, it’s really hard to tell just how unified and politically set the Earth is. Boomstick: And its ruler is a dog. Just pointing that out. Wiz: This lack of a solid governing force seems to be the reason why massive, feared criminal organizations such as the Red Ribbon Army are allowed to roam free. Feared across the land, even the slightest mention of them can send entire towns cowering in fear. Even the mighty Ox King is wary of their presence. Boomstick: And god damn, do they deserve it. The army is massive and very-well equipped. Soldiers. Guns. Tanks. Aircraft. Skilled command. Where they get their funding is a mystery, but very few dared stand in their way of world domination via the seven Dragon Balls. Power was their ultimate goal... at least that’s what they thought. Wiz: Commander Red ruled the army with an iron fist; failure would not be tolerated, and was often met with execution. Thus, for one of the Army’s most famous officers to be in his good graces is actually quite an accomplishment. Boomstick: That man, was General Blue. Wiz: Blue Corps was stationed on an archipelago in the tropical oceans during its search for the dragon balls, and such relied mostly on aerial and underwater transport. Along with the fighter planes and battle submarines, Blue had a great deal many soldiers under his command... which he straight-up abused. Boomstick: Yeah he did! He broke noses for no reason, shamed his highest-ranking subordinate for being too fat, and even had a solider executed for picking his nose! I mean, after all, if you were as beautifully sculpted as him, you wouldn’t tolerate any of that disgusting behaviour in your office. Wiz: It’s often implied that General Blue was designed based off the Nazi regime and their idealistic being; blonde hair, blue eyes, rippling muscles... Boomstick: And all-but-obvious homosexuality. I know that's not a Nazi requirement, but seriously, the only thing that matches how strict he is, is how flamboyant he is. Hell, he's even hinted to be a... a... you know, I don't think that's worth mentioning. Wiz: While he prefers not to get his hands dirty, General Blue is an incredibly dangerous fighter, much more so than any other Red Ribbon soldier. This includes the likes of Colonel Silver, who was able to defeat champion-level boxers, and the ninja Murasake, deadly assassin. Blue also appears to be proficient in Qigong, a practice with focus on storing up energy for later use, and the only plausible explanation for sudden muscle bulk in anime. Boomstick: His expert martial arts skills went hand in hand with his insane physical strength. He can squeeze guns into metal balls with his hands, and crush entire phone booths in a single bear hug. It’s this strength and fighting prowess that allowed him to defeat Krillin, who at the time was actually a legitimate fighting threat. Think that’s not enough? Well, he was the first individual in the series to nearly kill Goku! Wiz: No small feat. Goku had previously wiped the floor at the World Martial Arts Tournament and held his own in the finals against legendary fighter Jackie Chun. Though not able to outspeed him, Blue was able to keep track of Goku's fast movements, and his own punches may have broken the sound barrier. Boomstick: The world record for fastest punch thrown is at a quick nineteen meters per second, which points to Blue being able to strike nearly eighteen times faster than even the toughest martial artists. With strikes like these, he can shatter stone, and probably tenderize other men in a single hit. Wiz: Both Krillin and Goku had been tired out, but this works to Blue's favour as well against it. Blue is no fool, preferring to wait and observe opponents before engaging them in combat. This worked well for him, as he learned how skilled Goku could be without having to directly engage him in combat first; witnessing his abilities as he battled traps and weaponized security robot pirates. Boomstick: Not like it mattered. If martial arts can’t get the job done, Blue has some more supernatural tricks up his sleeve, or rather, underneath his eyelids. Wiz: Blue’s paralyzing stare stops opponents dead in their tracks, allowing Blue to beat them as long as he needs to without them being able to defend themselves. This technique was able to paralyze Goku despite his insane physical strength, and nearly cost the hero his life until Blue got scared by a mouse, breaking his concentration. Boomstick: Scared of mice? Oh dear, the stereotypes. Wiz: Should a stealthier approach be needed, Blue can also use telekinesis to move objects, in particular, ropes. Even without a direct line of sight, he was capable of tying up all the residents of the Kame House in inescapable binds. This included Master Roshi, who under normal circumstances could bulk up his muscle and destroy mountains or moons in a single attack. Boomstick: Loves bondage? OH GOD, THE STEREOTYPES! Wiz: His telekinesis can also be used to lift large trees and throw them at opponents, though given his strength, this would seem to be a redundant technique. Boomstick: Being the member of a well-equipped military has its perks as well. Blue is almost never without Dino Capsules, small pill-like objects that store objects for later use. The capsules Blue and his Corps used contained many vehicles for quick transport, extra equipment like bombs, and Blue’s personal pump-action shotgun. God damn, I need to get me some of those. But should you want something with a little more oomph than 12-gauge, then perhaps a rocket launcher would suit you nicely. Wiz: Blue is also incredibly durable, able to withstand the 500-volt shocks of an electric eel long enough to kill it with his bare hands. His knack for survival is off the charts; he was able to avoid death in three notable instances when his plane made impact with a mountain at high speed, he got caught in a collapsing underwater cave, and got sent flying into another continent. Allegedly. Boomstick: And after surviving all of that, he got offed by a tongue to the temple. I tell you, Dragon Ball durability is respectable, but completely out of whack. Still, given what he can survive, you’d think he’d manage to make sure his victims are actually dead before abandoning them. Wiz: Blue’s greatest weakness is his faith in his own abilities, granting him a massive ego issue. Had he not been so cocky, perhaps he would have actually killed Goku and Krillin instead of arguing with Bulma, and twice he assumed he had killed Goku before leaving the scene, leaving him in shock and unprepared when the kid showed up again. Boomstick: His paralysis technique for some reason did not work on Mercenary Tao, which could be credited to higher physical strength or a more level mindset. And as I already pointed out, Blue is just a regular human, and thus possesses regular human pressure points. Fatal ones, at that. Wiz: But lo and behold, Blue was not dead for long. After being resurrected from Hell, he... Boomstick: Was pretty much killed again right away. Wiz: ...Yeah. Boomstick: Dragon Ball has been around for decades. Goku has grown exponentially stronger every arc, But it all has to begin somewhere. Let us not forget the first villain who had the opportunity to end him once and for all. Wiz: Though overshadowed by later villains, General Blue as a regular human is an incredibly deadly combatant. There are reasons the Red Ribbon Army was feared across the earth. He was one of them. General Blue: You can’t cheat in a fight to the death, fool! Whoever’s alive at the end of the battle is the winner, and that’s that! Major Armstrong Wiz: Alchemy. The science of deconstructing and reconstructing matter. In this world, scientists tried for hundreds of years to turn lead into gold by rearranging atoms. And while modern physics came to shape scientific reformation here, in our parallel world, alchemic breakthroughs succeeded. Boomstick: And with such power comes great power. The ability to bend the nearby environment to your will was soon weaponized, and for nations who relied on alchemy to defeat their enemies, they enlisted experts into their ranks. Wiz: These “State Alchemists” were sponsored by the Amestris military, and served for the people. Their prestige was so great, they were assumed a rank equivalent to that of a major, even if they did not take part in combat directly. Only the greatest could achieve such a position, yet it was found in children, frail scientists, senior swordfighters... Boomstick: And walking hunks of pure muscle. Meet: Alex Louis Armstrong. Wiz: The only son of the rich Armstrong Family, its clear to see from his family tree that much of Alex’s bulk and physical strength has been passed down through genetics. Even his tiny youngest sister can lift pianos with one hand. Boomstick: And he’ll let you know, that’s not the only thing he’s received from his lineage. Armstrong is skilled in portraiture, cross-country, short-distance sprinting, sculpting, chopping wood, and beating the shit out of people, each a talent passed down the Armstrong family for generations! Wiz: As well as his knowledge of alchemy. Armstrong wears special gauntlets with inscribed transmutation circles, necessary patterns for changing the flow of matter. With these gloves, or any other method of drawing a circle, Armstrong can transmute substances. In simple terms, he can dismantle them down to their very atoms and elements, and rearrange them as he sees fit provided they retain their original mass and composition. Boomstick: He’s most often shown transmuting stone in to different shapes for attack and defense. The brick and clay he manipulates are manmade substances, and made up of many different elements, including carbon and iron. By punching substances with his fists, he also adds kinetic energy to his transmutations, allowing him to launch projectiles or devastate the battlefield. His control over the area is so great he can create massive walls capable of trapping dozens of civilians, while obeying conservation of matter. Wiz: One of Armstrong’s special attacks requires him throwing chunks of stone into the air and punching it as it descends. By transforming it into a sharp cone-shaped projectile, he can launch them at high speeds making him a very tough opponent even at long range. Given the impact they land with, he may as well be a walking tank. Boomstick: He’s pretty tough close range too. Weapons such as stone or metal clubs are useless, as he tends to transmute them into worthless sticks, and ain’t nobody beating this mustachioed man in a bout of fisticuffs. His boxing skills were enough to go up against the ruthless killer scar, who had easily murdered state alchemists with even higher military ranks. Wiz: Scar noted his speed to be commendable despite his bulk, making him an effective in more ways than one. One of his punches can send the homunculus Sloth flying, making him exponentially more powerful than Briggs-grade RPGs which didn’t even make the being flinch. Boomstick: Moving bookshelves out of the way? No effort needed. Transporting a giant crate filled with a suit of armour using one hand? No effort needed. Uppercutting fast enough to potentially break the sound barrier? No effort needed. Wiz: His rank, in truth, betrays his skills. Armstrong is a pacifist; the horrors he was forced to commit during the genocide of Ishval have made him something of a coward who refuses to kill his opponents. This is why he doesn't get promoted. The urge to run away from fights tends to haunt him, though his determination to never run when his family and friends are in danger kind of makes him more dangerous. Boomstick: You should add Sugar Daddies to that list of people he fights for. Wiz: You’re right, Armstrong has... a bit of a homosexual flare about him. Generally, sexual preference wouldn’t help in battle, but he can get quite distracted by enemies with muscles as well-built as his. Boomstick: And good luck with that! You know how much effort it takes to rip your shirt by flexing or punching? Damn, I bet he spends most of the Armstrong fortune on shirts alone. And mustache oil. Wiz: Betraying any stereotypes about this gentle giant, Armstrong is also very cunning. He’s an expert at gathering and relaying information discreetly, and keeping eyes on suspicious behaviour. Always well-informed of his surroundings, Armstrong is rarely caught off-guard. Boomstick: He can use his alchemy in a variety of ways outside of brute force, like creating defensive shields, tunneling through the battlefield, and forming hollow non-lethal projectiles when sent after high-value targets. Wiz: And as a State Alchemist, he has access to the Central Library’s restricted section, containing hundreds of years worth of alchemic research. To even pass the exam to obtain the State Alchemist rank is no small feat; Armstrong would no doubt possess transmutation knowledge on most elements, even if he doesn’t use them himself. Boomstick: Brains, brawn, and beauty. Can anything stop this guy? Wiz: His sister. Boomstick: Oh, right. Wiz: Armstrong, kind of got destroyed when fighting his sister Olivier for the family inheritance. Although you can assume he wasn’t fighting at his full potential given the collateral damage he would have caused to his sister and the family mansion, he did say he would not hold back. And Olivier isn’t even an alchemist. Boomstick: But, she was later nearly killed by Sloth, and Armstrong came and defeated Sloth. Thus, the rock-paper-scissors cycle is complete, along with my PSA on why scaling isn’t always accurate. Wiz: Armstrong has defeated armies of undead mannequin soldiers, survived the Ishvalan civil war, can chop a year’s worth of firewood in a single afternoon, and hold his own against genetically enhanced human-bull chimera hybrids. But he’s not without his weaknesses. Boomstick: Unless he’s given the time to draw a different transmutation circle, he’s restricted to using what his gauntlets would allow. Should they be scratched or the circle rendered otherwise unusable, they’d lose a large portion of their power. Wiz: Should Armstrong get a cramp or anything related, he can be locked out of his full potential until his joints pop back into place. And, lest we forget, he can stop in the middle of bloody wars where the fate of the Earth is in his hands, just to high-five a fellow bodybuilder. Boomstick: And then team up with him to kick some serious ass! Nearly everything about him is just perfect. The muscles. The mustache. The alchemy. If it weren’t for iceless Esdeath, he’d be the model figure and icon of family genetics. I wonder what I can pass down the Boomstick family for generations. Wiz: Beer breath and poor judgment, perhaps? Boomstick: Hey! Armstrong: Destruction and creation are two sides of the same coin! You must destroy to create! That is the great law of the cosmos! Hawkeye: ... Did he have to strip? Interlude Wiz: All right, the combatants are set, let's end this debate once and for all. Boomstick: IT'S TIME FOR A DEATH BATTLE!!! Death Battle (This, 0:00-0:44) Armstrong: All right men, move out! A wall is blown open, and a division of the Amestris Military storms into the Red Ribbon Army compound. Gunfire commences as the armies fire at each other and take up defensive positions behind walls and pillars. One RRA soldier throws a Dino Cap to the ground and activates a turret machine gun, keeping the Amestrians from advancing. Armstrong: Fear not, they won’t have us pinned down for long! Witness the brutal counterattack passed down the Armstrong Family for generations! Armstrong punches the ground and large spikes of earth ruse up from underneath the turret, destroying it and the cover of several Red Ribbon soldiers. Colonel Silver and General White run up to engage Armstrong, but he picks them up by the hands and bashes their heads together, knocking them out. The division approaches a locked room and destroys the opening, making their way into the control room. The remaining RR soldiers are quickly wiped out, including Major Metaltron who is destroyed by an uppercut from Armstrong. (Silence) Murasake: DIE! The ninja leaps down from the shadows, but before he hits the ground he is cut in half by a sword-strike too quick to be seen. King Bradley, with one sword drawn, enters through the doorway, and all his men stand at attention. Bradley: At ease, gentlemen. Congratulations on your success, Major. Is the stone here? Armstrong walks over to a table in the middle of the room, where six dragon balls lie in a box. Armstrong: This must be it, sir. It matches the description. Blue: Don’t think I’ll let you just take it! (Ominous Clouds, 0:00-0:35) Armstrong raises his fist to block Blue’s incoming strike. Blue backflips off Armstrong's strong arm and lands opposite him. Blue: Ooh, strong, aren’t we? Armstrong: This is your last chance to surrender. I’d hate to see a body like yours go to waste over a rock. Blue: The Red Ribbon Army has worked tirelessly for months to recover those Dragon Balls, and there is only one left to go. You are not taking anything anywhere! Armstrong: You can keep your “Dragon Balls”, we are here for the Philosopher’s Stone! Armstrong gestures to the tiny red rock sitting on the table next to the box of Dragon Balls. Blue: Oh, that old thing? I have no idea what it is. I guess it looks pretty and cost a fortune, but one rock means nothing compared to the value of those balls. Armstrong: Then we have an accord? Each of us can leave with what he wants, with no further violence. Bradley: Kill him, Armstrong. Armstrong: What? Bradley: No regular military would put so much effort into obtaining seven artifacts if they weren’t of some value, perhaps to alchemy, perhaps to some other force. The Red Ribbon Army is a well-informed organization, and to say the balls are more valuable than the stone is an interesting statement. I am now interested in these balls myself. Need I remind you as well that this is the man and army who has been terrorizing Amestris for the last year? Armstrong sighs, then prepares a fighting stance. Armstrong: This is your last chance, then. Surrender! Blue scoffs and braces himself. Blue: Surrender isn’t in my vocabulary, sorry. But consider yourself lucky; that bulk of yours won’t save you from a painless death. Armstrong frowns while Blue smiles gleefully, and the two slowly approach each other until their chests are almost touching. Blue: Well then, shall we? I've always wanted to lay my fists on a man like you. Armstrong: But not before I've introduced you to mine! FIGHT!!! (Silence) Blue and Armstrong punch, and their fists collide to create a shockwave that spreads throughout the room. All is silent for a few seconds before they strike with their other fists, with the same result. Armstrong: Good strength indeed! Blue: Why thank you! You’ve got some power too, but it won’t be enough! The two lock hands and push against each other; as they struggle to push the other man back, their muscles begin to bulge underneath their clothes. Armstrong: Quite the set of abdominals you’ve got there! (Slavonic March 2:06-2:16) Blue: I say, your forceps are looking wonderfully toned! Armstrong: You haven’t seen the half of it! These muscles are the result of genes passed down the Armstrong Family for generations! (Slavonic March, 2:16-2:56) With that, Blue and Armstrong let go of each other and flex hard enough to destroy their shirts. The two stand topless in front of each other, straining their muscles. Sparkles begin to fall from the ceiling as they switch poses to showcase different muscles, sweating as thy flex harder than ever before. Amestris Soldier #1: What the heck are they doing? Amestris Soldier #2: They’re trying to overpower the other through sheer muscle! They’re letting their bulk do the fighting for them! Amestris Soldier #1: ...Now that’s just odd. The two punch their fists together and strain as hard as they can; their muscles grow to twice their usual size and their veins begin to bulge as they stare each other down. The sweat on their bodies begins to evaporate, and they appear to be on the verge of bursting into flames. Bradley: Major! Stop this nonsense and kill him! (Glass shattering followed by silence) Armstrong and Blue abruptly stop, and relax their muscles. Armstrong looks to the ground disappointed and sighs. Armstrong: Yes, Fu... He is cut off after promptly being punched in the face by Blue. (Rise of the Black Curtain, 0:20-0:45) Armstrong: Such a dishonourable attack! Blue: You can’t cheat in a fight to the death, fool! Blue lands a number of punches and kicks on a stunned Armstrong, knocking him to the ground. As he struggles to his feet, Blue kicks his knees, crippling him and landing him back on the ground. The General digs his hands into the ground and rips out a large chunk of the floor, standing over Armstrong. Blue: This was fun, don’t you think? Blue brings the rock down, attempting to smash Armstrong’s head. But the Major holds his hand up and catches the rock. With a flash of light from his gauntlet, the boulder turns into sand and pours to the ground harmlessly. (The Last Hero, 0:23-1:32) Blue: Wh..wh..What?! Armstrong (Standing up): I take it you’ve never learned of alchemy? You said yourself you can’t cheat in a fight to the death. If you are willing to behave as such, then I have no qualms about using it against you. Now, witness the alchemic prowess that has been passed down the Armstrong Family for generations! Armstrong punches the ground and spawns a giant stone fist from the floor, which uppercuts Blue in the jaw. As he flies into the air, Armstrong grabs his leg and ragdolls him into the ground. Blue staggers to his feet and Armstrong begins to box him, punching him repeatedly in the head and chest without letting up. Eventually Blue is able to block Armstrong’s attacks with punches and kicks of his own, and the two duel with great ferocity across the room. Blue: Your footwork is quick for someone your size! But I have something even quicker! Backflipping out of melee combat, Blue tosses a Dino Capsule to the ground and picks up a shotgun from inside it. Blue: Toodles! Armstrong: You’re facing the “punch everything” alchemy technique that has been passed down the Armstrong Family for generations! That gun is hardly an advantage! With that, Armstrong rips a chunk of concrete out of the wall and tosses it into the air. When it falls in front of him he punches it, transforming it into a spear-like projectile and launching it at Blue with incredible speed. Blue manages to shoot it with his gun out of the air, blowing it to bits, but Armstrong is more than prepared. He strikes the ground, launching dozens of stone fragments into the air, and punches each of them rapidly with the same technique. Blue manages to shoot a couple but gets pelted by the rest, sending him back across the room. Armstrong: And now, the miraculous final blow! Armstrong punches the ground with both fists, and a line of spikes rises from the ground from him and towards Blue. Before they impale him, Blue concentrates and bulks up the muscles in his arms. With a punch, he destroys the spikes. (Silence) Armstrong: Impressive! Blue: You cut my lip, you bastard! Blue activates another capsule, this time equipping a Rocket Launcher. As the Amestrians run and hide, Armstrong stands defiant. Blue fires and the room is engulfed in a massive explosion, but as the smoke clears, Blue is shocked to see a massive stone dome shielding Armstrong from the attack. With a flash of light, a door forms on the dome, and Armstrong walks out completely unharmed. (Ultimate Countdown, 0:00-0:48) With a yell, Blue charges Armstrong, and Armstrong runs towards Blue. They punch each other’s heads and stagger back before attacking again. Striking so fast they seemingly grow extra arms, they lay into each other, causing minor sonic booms between them. Blue jumps up and kicks Armstrong repeatedly in the face before he lands and throws another kick at Armstrong’s torso, knocking him into the wall. Before Armstrong can get up, Blue grabs him by his lock of hair and begins to smash his face against the floor, cracking the pavement. Not down just yet, Armstrong punches the ground and tries to hit Blue with a rising stone pillar. Blue dodges the attack but lets go of Armstrong, and the Major gets on his feet, now bleeding from his forehead. Blue tries to attack again, but Armstrong dodges each attack, without throwing one of his own. Armstrong: You’re letting your emotions drive you. You’ve lost your form with this anger! Blue: I haven’t lost anything yet! Blue draws his gun and points it into Armstrong’s face, but the general grabs it and transmutes it into the shape of a trumpet. Armstrong: You thought that would work? Blue: No, it was a distraction! Before Armstrong can react, several ropes rise up from the ground behind him and wrap around him, binding him tightly. Armstrong: What? How did you do this? What kind of alchemy is this?! Blue: It’s not alchemy, just a special ability of mine. I’ve been waiting to use it on someone like you, but sadly, under different circumstances. Armstrong: It matters not! Face this technique of muscle growth that has been passed down the Armstrong Family for generations! Armstrong flexes and his muscles grow, but to his shock, the ropes don’t break. (Mii Plaza, 0:00-0:17) Armstrong: Hmm, let me try that again. He tries that again, with no success. Blue: The more you struggle, the tighter they become! You’ll never break free, I’ve held beasts far stronger than you in these ropes! Armstrong: Then perhaps strength isn’t the answer! Armstrong’s gauntlets flash and the rope is covered in a bright light. Armstrong: Let’s try this again! He flexes and the ropes burst open, leaving Blue shocked. (Serenata, 1:01-1:1:14) Blue: HOW!? Armstrong: I used my alchemy to transmute the ropes into a weaker substance. Your tricks won’t work on me anymore! Blue: You and your BLASTED ALCHEMY!!! Blue kicks at Armstrong, but he catches Blue’s foot and tosses him into the air. Armstrong: Farewell, you muscular villain! Armstrong punches Blue, sending him flying into a wall which blows open, covering Blue with rubble and flames. Armstrong himself flexes in a victory pose, and any shrapnel bounces harmlessly off of him. (Silence) Armstrong: It is done. Blue: Not yet! (The Black Rider Rises, 0:00-0:50) The rubble blasts away, and Blue stands out from underneath it, enraged. Blue: You’re not the only one with special powers! Look into my eyes! Armstrong: Ah, what handsome eyes you have! They compliment your figure! Blue’s eyes glow Blue, and suddenly, Armstrong is paralyzed. Armstrong: What! I... I can’t move! Impossible! I can’t even flex the tiniest muscle! Blue: Consider this a technique passed down the Blue family for generations. You’ve been paralyzed, and there’s no breaking out of it. I’ve already won! Blue rushes up and punches Armstrong. To his shock, the general doesn’t budge. Blue scoffs and punches Armstrong a dozen more times, but his bulk allows him to take the attacks like a champ. Blue: Don’t get cocky! Blue then punches Armstrong’s groin, causing him to squeal in pain and fall to the floor, still paralyzed. Blue stands over him, rocket launcher in hand. Armstrong: I assume you’re going to finish me off, now? Blue: You assume right. This is what you get, fool! The Red Ribbon Army is unstoppable even to the world’s strongest militaries. Once we find the seventh Dragon Ball, we will have unlimited power. And You not only made the mistake of challenging them, you challenged me! I’m the strongest in the army! And you’ve been quite a pain in my side today, so don’t think I’m going to kill you painlessly. All right here it comes! Prepare to... Armstrong: Too late! (Earthrise, 0:16-45) A spike shoots out from Armstrong’s fist and narrowly misses impaling Blue’s face. Blue shrieks and his grip on Armstrong is broken. The Major promptly jumps to his feet and flexes. Armstrong: I’m BACK! Blue: Not for long! Look into... Armstrong has already crossed the room, outspeeding Blue’s gaze. Blue: Look into... Armstrong blitzes across the room again. Blue: Slow down and let me finish you! Armstrong: I think not! Gripping a rock, Armstrong transmutes it into sand and throws it at Blue, getting sand in his eyes. As Blue covers his face and reels around in pain, Armstrong punches him into a wall. Blue slumps down and begins to rub the sand out of his eyes as Armstrong places his hands on the ground and throws all his energy into a last transmutation. As Blue opens his eyes, he sees a twenty-foot metal statue of Armstrong’s upperbody hovering over him. Blue: How fitting. Armstrong topples the statue onto Blue, squashing him flat. Armstrong: Victory! K.O!!! A pool of blood pours out from underneath the statue. Armstrong flexes and a shower of pink sparkles falls from the sky. Results Boomstick: ...I may have just turned bi. Wiz: This was a very close match. Both Blue and Armstrong were nearly equal in terms of close-quarters combat, and although Blue has shown better martial arts prowess and overall strike speed, Armstrong is subject to the same conditions as Blue when it comes to the speed of their punches. Due to each having waves form around their fists, the odds of striking faster than sound versus the odds of it merely being an animated effect are equal for both combatants. Boomstick: Armstrong’s melee speed was enough to earn praise from Scar, who has the reflexes to anticipate gunshots and keep up with Wrath. Outside of close-quarters, Armstrong can move fast enough to intercept Sloth, who moves faster than the eye can see. Blue hasn’t shown anything similar, usually relying on his upper body to do the talking. Wiz: And Armstrong’s sheer strength and durability surpassed Blue’s as well. The Red Ribbon Army General can crush guns and phone booths in a cocky display of strength, each made of incredibly dense stainless steel, but it’s worth noting that both guns and phone booths are hollow, and the guns Blue molded didn’t exactly come from the world’s most competent police department. While Blue only managed to slightly crack a stone wall with a punch, Armstrong can decimate them with total ease without the use of alchemy. Boomstick: Not enough for you? Lets hop back over to the fight with Sloth where this Major sent him flying with one punch. Not just staggered, but actually knocked away. Earlier at the Briggs compound, Sloth, who was exhausted from digging non-stop for months mind you, took a freaking RPG fired from a tank and didn’t move an inch! Wiz: Because punches that reduced regular men to mush at most only managed to break some of Armstrong’s bones, the Major could handle any physical assaults Blue threw at him. The General did have some great showings, but surviving a collapsing cave and a plane wreck can be attributed more to survivability rather than durability. Boomstick: Flying to a different continent is a big outlier given the comic relief nature of the arc at the time, the fact that we never see how he lands, and because if he survived a fall from terminal velocity, his skull would be too hard to be affected by pressure points. Even if we remove the grains of salt, Armstrong’s punches and weapons are sharp and apply force over smaller surface areas, which is more deadly than taking a powerful force like a bomb or a fall with your whole body. Case in point, Tao Tongue. Wiz: Armstrong also took long range in this fight as well; Blue was at a disadvantage of having to actually activate capsules to equip ranged weaponry, compared to Armstrong who is never without ammo and can launch projectiles both larger and at faster rates than Shotguns. The walls Armstrong can create are massive in size and thickness enough to block even the toughest artillery. Boomstick: And he’s not going down to bondage either. Even though Blue can restrain Goku and Roshi with his ropes, Armstrong didn’t have to rely on physical strength to get out. Wiz: Ropes are made from organic fibres and contain loads of carbon, which Armstrong is able to transmute with his gauntlets. Boomstick: Plus, if Blue’s ropes can be cut by knives certified as dull by kitchen expert Launch, then there’s no doubt Armstrong could fashion something sharp enough to get out. Wiz: The one thing Armstrong did not counter or surpass was Blue’s paralyzing stare. The mechanics and limits of the stare aren’t known for certain, so although Armstrong was more mentally focused than Goku, there’s no guarantee he would be immune to its effects. Unfortunately, once again, Blue could have won a match had he kept his mouth shut. Boomstick: Blue’s desire to taunt with opponents and monologue before pulling triggers gave Armstrong enough opportunity to break the hold. Alchemy does not require physical motion from the alchemist; once a transmutation circle is complete, it merely has to be in contact with the transmuted substance. Wiz: Meaning that while Blue stalled with weapon in hand, Armstrong still had all of his alchemy at his disposal once Blue had knocked him to the ground. Boomstick: The General was so close to victory, but he blue his chances. Wiz: The winner is Alex Louis Armstrong. Do you agree with the results of Blue vs Armstrong? Yes No The result was right, the reasoning was not Next Time Boomstick: Next time, on Death Battle! Mario runs into a room, and the exit shuts behind him. He gazes into the sand, wary of the danger in it. Toon Link steps into a room, and the door shuts behind him. He gazes out into the sand, wary of the danger in it. Category:'Anime/Manga' themed Death Battles Category:'Hero vs. Villain' themed Death Battles Category:MP999 Category:Completed What-If? Death Battles Category:What-If? Death Battles Category:What-If? Death Battles completed in 2016